Display apparatus



0.0. AND G. 0. JAMES.

DISPLAY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. I920.

Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

4 SHEETS SHEET I- c. c. ANDG. 0. JAMES.

DISPLAY APPARATUS. 1 APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. 1920.

1,375,905, Patented Apr. 19,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- C. C. AND G. C. JAMES.

DISPLAY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, i920.

1,375,005. Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

J0 Q Z c moan tom 14 W @511 Z331 WW C W C. C. AND G. C. )AMES.

DISPLAY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. i920.

Patented Apr. '19, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ciinnnns o. mines, or new YORK, AND enonen 0. JAMES, or YONKERS, NEW YORK DISPLAY APPARATUS.

emons.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgnt d A 19 1921 Application filed May 8, 1920. Serial No. 379,697.

To all whom it"may concern;

Be it known that. we, CHARLES C. JAMns and Gnonsn C. James, both citizens of the United Eitates. and residents, respectively, of the borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, and of Yonkers, county of ll estchester, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful lamprovements in Display Apparatus, ofwhlch the following'is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in display apparatus, and while it maybe used for display purposes of many kinds, it is particularly directed to apparatus for displaying consecutively a series of advertisements or announcements such for example the station stops of a train, or the various vaudeville acts on a theatrical stage.

The invention is herein shown and described. as embodied in a display machine of the traveling web type, and in which the web carrying the signs is wound back and forth from one roller to another. In machines of this type, as the web is rolled back and forth from one roller onto the other, naturally the rollers are operating with different effective diameters. The one having the *eatest amount of the web or sheet on 11; will per revolution take up or roll off a reater amount of the sheet than the one having the less amount. Therefore in order to avoid slack in the sheet it is important to drive but one of the rollers, allowing the other to follow due to the pull of the sheet, and to-provide means whereby this can be done with but one driving motor. It is also important in display machines to arrest the web or other means for carrying the display signs at certain predetermined positions with respect to the display window, and therefore it is important to provlde some means that will insure the web being so arrested when the driving power is cut off or disconnected; and it is important to accomplish this with relatively light mechanism reduce we ht and cost, and to accomplish it without positively and abruptly arresting the rotation of the motor; and'connecting gearing so as not to subyect these parts to undue strain due to stopping'them suddenly under their momentum. By this invention it is endeavored to accomplish these desired features.

The main object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is both simple and efficient in. 7 operation and construction. A

further object of theinvention is to provide an apparatus in which the display means are operated intermittently and arenot likely to overrun the display position. A further ob cctof the invention is to provide a new arrangement for automatically causing the display means to stop at predetermined points. A. further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement by which such display means may be moved back and forth and operated in both directions by the same motor in an. improved manner. Further'and more specific objects, features and advantages will more clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken. 1n connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification. 1

The invention consists in the novel features, arrangements and combination of parts hereinafter shown and described, and the invention is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 .is a front view of the apparatus embodying our improvements in one form, part of the same being broken away .to more clearly illustrate certain of the parts;

Fig. 2 is a view of the left-hand end of the apparatus as viewed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the'line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the driving connections shown in- Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the electrical connections;

Fig. 6 is a front view of a portion of the pparatus illustrating a modification; and

Fig. 7 is an end view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 6. I Referring to Figs'l to 4, inclusive, 8 represents a suitable frame in which are rotatably mounted two rolls 9 and 10, rigidly secured to suitable shafts 11 and 12. respectively. '13 represents a display sheet on" one end of which abuts a collar 26 fixed on the shaft 12 and the other end of which presses against a collar 27 slidingly keyed to shaft 12 and engaging a friction disk 28 to press it toward the sprocket 23 so that when the sprocket wheel 23 is turned it will,

through this yieldable or friction driving connection, drive the shaft 12 and the roll. 10 secured thereto.

The sprocket wheel 21 is likewise adapted to drive a sprocket chain 29 driving a sprocket 30 mounted to rotate on the shaft 11 and abutting a collar 31 fixed to the shaft 11. A spring 32, one end of which abuts a collar 33 fixed on the shaft 11, and the other end of which abuts a collar 34 slidingly keyed onthe shaft 11 forces the collar 34 and friction disk 35 toward and against the sprocket 30 so that upon driving the sprocket 29 and sprocket wheel 30 the latter will, through this yieldable or frictional driving connection, drive the shaft 11 and with it the roll 9 secured thereon. When the motor is rotated in one direction the cam face on clutch 18 will be forced into operative engagement with the cam face on sprocket 20 by reason of the cam face on clutch 19 riding over and up upon the cooperating face of sprocket 21 forcing the shaft 16 to the left as viewed in Fig. 4 so that the clutch 18 will be brought into driving engagement with the sprocket 20. Likewise when th motor is rotated in the opposite direction the cam face on clutch member 18 will ride up upon the cooperating thereon and leave the roll 10 free to unwind the sheet therefrom.

In order that when the motor is de'e'ner- 'gized the momentum of the rotating parts will not cause a continued. rotation of either roll 9 or 10, means are provided for positively stopping the rotation ofthe rolls 9 or 10. For this purpose there is secured I to the shaft 11 a toothed wheel38 and to the shaft 12 a toothed wheel 39 each having a number of closely and uniformly spaced teeth as shown in the drawings.

40 represents a rocker arm suitably pivoted to the framework, to one end of which arm is connected a rod 41 at the upper end of which is carried a finger or tooth 42 sliding in a fixed guide member 43 and adapted to engage the teeth of the wheel 38. On the other side a rod 44 is connected to the rocker arm 40 and at the lower end of the rod 44 is a tooth45 sliding in a fixed guide member 46 and adapted to engage the teeth of wheel 39. The rocker arm 40 also carries an armature 47 adapted to be attracted by an electromagnet 48 comprising two magnet coils 49 and 50. A spring 51 normally pulls the armature 47 away from the magnet 48 causing the rocker arm 40 to operate the links 41 and 44 so as to force the teeth 42 and 45 into engagement with the teeth of wheels so that the web is promptly arrested upon the deenergization of the'motor circuit controlled as hereinafter described, thus pre venting overrunning. This overrunning is a serious objection in continuous web machines, due to the fact that the error or overrunning is cumulative for each operation of the machine so that if there is only an overrunning of a fraction of an inch for each movement after a series of movements the signs may be so far out of register with the window as to partly conceal the sign. At the same time that the motor is energized to drive either of the rolls 9 or 10, the magnet coils 49 and 50 are energized causing the armature 47 to be attracted thereto and the rocker arm 40 to be oscillated to withdraw the teeth 42 and 45 from engagement with the wheels 38 and 39, permitting the rolls 9 and 10 to be operated to wind up the sheet 13 on one and unwind it from the other. 7

When. the motor is deiinergized and the rolls arrested, the friction clutches on shafts 11 and 12 permit the motor and'connccting gearing to continueto rotate under their momentum so as to more gradually come to a stop without jarring or straining these parts. v 5

In order that the motor may be deenen gized and the movement of the sheet 13 automatically stopped when it has reached display position, means are provided for deeuergizing the motor responsive to the movements of the sheet. For this purpose the sheet is provided with suitable vertical slots directly opposite that portion of the sheet to be displayed. Cooperating with these slots in the sheet 13 is a finger 52 pivoted at 53 and normally retained in the pothrough the conductor sition shown in full lines in Fig.3 by tension spring 54. Integral with the finger 52 on the opposite side of the pivot 53 is a cam 55 cotiperating with a resilient or spring switch member 56 adapted to be pressed into contact with an electrical contact 57 in the motor circuit. The upper end of the spring member 56 is rigidly secured to electrical contact 58. In front of the sheet 13 there is arranged a thin plate 59 provided with a slot 60. When a slot within the sheet 13 arrives opposite the slot 60 the finger 52 will be permitted to extend through the slot in the sheet 13 and assume the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3. In this position the spring 56 moves away from the contact 57 thus electrically disconnecting the contacts 57 and 58. When the sheet moves either upward or downward the end of the slot in the sheet 13 will strike the finger 52 causing it to be rotated, as for example, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 thereby causing the cam 55 to force the spring switch 56 into engagement with the contact 57. The cam 58 will hold. the spring switch 56 in engagement with contact 57 until another slot in the sheet 13 arrives opposite the slot 60 whereupon the finger 52 will be permitted to resume the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 under the action of spring 54.

Referring to Fig. 5 the armature of the motor 14 is there indicated at 60 and its field at 61. Current from I any suitable source is supplied to the motor through the conductors 62 and 63. 64 represents a'hand operated push button switch which is normally maintained open and only closed when pushed by the hand. At 65 is shown a double throw switchadapted to suitably connect contacts 66, 67 and 68 and contacts 69, and 71. That is, when'the switch 65 is thrown in one direction it will connect'contact 67 with contact 68 and contact 70 with contact-69 as shown in dotted lines, and when the, switch is thrown in the other direction itwill connect contact 67 with contact 66 and contact 7 O with contact 71. Assuming the switch 65 to be thrown in the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5, then if the hand-operated switch 64 be closed current will flow through the conductor 62 magnet coil 49 switch 64, motor armature 60, magnet coil 50 to contacts 67 and 68, through motor field 61 to contact 66 and thence to contact 69 and 70 and as-. suming the hand switch 72 to be closed, out 63; This will cause the motorto be energized and likewise the magnet coils '49 and 50 to be energized so that the locking teeth 42 and 45 willbe withdrawn and the motor will cause the sheet 13 to be wound up upon one roll and unwound from the other. Immediately'however, the sheet 13 has moved very slightly the end of the slot in the sheet will cause vided with the finger 52 to rotate and close the spring switch 56 thereby directly connecting contacts 57 and 58 So that the push button switch 54 may then be releasedand the motor will continue'to be energizechbut will be automatically deenergized when another slot in the sheet 13 comes opposite the finger 52 permitting the spring 54 to move the finger 52 and cause the spring switch 56 to be opened. Such de'elnergization of the motor will ordinarily take place when another display on the sheet 13 has reached proper display position. At the same time that the motor is thus deenergized automatically by means of the finger 52 and spring switch 56, the magnets 49 and 50 will'be denergized and the spring '51 will cause the rocker. arm 40 to force the teeth 42 and 45 into engagement with the teeth of wheels 38 and 39 thereby positively preventing further rotation of the rolls 9 and 10, although the motor, due to the momentum of its rotating parts, may continue to rotate the driving sprockets 23 and 30 which will slide. in contact with the means frictionally engaging the same, which frictional means will serve as a brake forthe motor. Thus by having the motor drive the rolls 9 and 10 through yieldably or frictional driving connection the rolls 9 and 10 may be immediately stopped by means of the positive locking means 42 and 45 without injury to the motor and driving connections by reason of their momenta. If it is desired to move the sheet in the opposite direction the double throw switch 65 is thrown to connect the contact 67 with contact 66 and contact 70 with contact 71 whereby the current in the field 61 will be reversed causing the motor to rotate .in the opposite directionupon closing switch 64 and assuming the motor to have been driving the roll 10 willcause the driving member 16 to be rotated in the opposite direction whereby the clutch member 18 will be forced out of engagement with the sprocket 20 and the clutch19 will be forced into driving engagement with the sprocket 21 so that the motor'will drive the roll 9 through its yieldable or frictional drivin connection. Iteferring to Figs. 6 and 7, I there show a modified arrangement for positlvely stopping the rotation ,of the rolls 9'and 10. In this modification instead of the brake magnets'49 and 50, the motor shaft is extended as at 70 and carries a ball governor .71, one

end of which is rigidly secured to the shaft 70 at 72 and the other end of which is pro-. a grooved member 73 slidable on the shaft 70. Engaging the groove in member 73 is one end of a rocker arm 74 pivoted at 75. The other end of the rocker arm is pivotally connected to a link 75 the upper end of which is pivotally connected to 'one end of a rocker arm 76-pivoted' on,

the axis of shaft 16. The rocker arm 76 also has connected to it a link 77 carrying at its upper end a tooth 78 sliding in a guide 79 and adapted to engage the teeth of a toothed wheel 80 rigidly secured to the shaft 11 which carries the roll 9. The rocker-arm 76 also has pivoted to it a link 81 carrying at its lower end a tooth 82 sliding in a guide 83 and adapted to engage the teeth of the tooth wheel 84 rigidly secured to the shaft 12 which drives the roll 10. When the motor is. energized it soon reaches a speed where the .ball governor 71 will cause the grooved member 73 to be pulled upwardly as viewed in Fig. 7 along the shaft 70, causing a rocker arm 74 to be oscillated and with it the rocker arm 76 which, through link 77, pulls teeth 28 out of engagement with the wheel 80 and through link 81, pulls tooth 82out of engagement with the wheel 84; By reason of the above the devices which normally look the rolls 9 and 10 against rotation are withdrawn so as to permit rotatlo'n of the rolls promptly after the motor 14: is energized. When the motor 14 is decner ized the collapsing of the ball governor $1 causes the rocker arm 2 lto be operated in the opposite direction and a very slight movement in such direction causes the teeth 7 8 and 82 to engage the 'toothed'wheels 80 and 84, thereby positively preventing further movement of the rolls 9 and 10, although, as above explained, the motor, because of its momentum, may continue to rotate so as to gradually come to a stop by reason of the slipping of the frictional driving connections.

The motor in this modification must have sufficient torque to be able to start up under the load of the friction clutch. While this modification willsufiice for certain classes of work, it is notso accurate in stopping the web at definite points as is the first device, due to the time element of the governor which must not be set too delicately on. some commercial electric circuits.

Although we have described our improvements in great detail and with respectto certain preferred forms, we do not desire to be limited to such details or forms since many changes and modifications may be made and the invention embodied in widely different forms without departing from the spirit and scope thereof in its broader aspects;

What we claim as new and desire to se cure by Letters Patent, is: 1. A display apparatus having in combination two rolls, a display sheet adapted to be wound upon and unwound from said rolls respectively, a motor for driving both rolls, a yieldable driving connection between each roll and the motor, clutches for con-1 nectingthe motor with said yieldable drivrolls, a yieldabledriving connection be-- tween each roll and the motor, clutches for connecting the motor with said, yieldable driving connections respectively for driving one roll or the other, whereby when oneroll is being driven by the motor the other is free to follow due to the pull of the sheet and vice versa, means operatively connected with the rolls on the roll side of the yieldable driving connections for suddenly and definitely stopping the movement of the sheet when the driving power is-cutoff without undue shock on the motor parts, a switch for starting the motor, and means controlled responsive to the movements of the sheet for maintaining the energization of the motor for a predetermined movement of the sheet-and for then automatically cutting off the driving power.

8. A display apparatus having in conr.

bination two rolls, display means adapted to be wound upon and unwound fromsaid lrolls respectively, a motor, two-clutches for connecting the motor to the rolls, onev for driving one roll from the motor and the other for driving the other roll from the motor, a stub shaft, the driving member of each of said clutches being mounted on said stub shaft and connected to move together and rotated by the motor, the driven memto clutch the motor to drive one roll or the other depending upon the direction of rotation of the motor. a

4. A display apparatus having in combination two rolls, a display means adapted to be wound upon and unwound from said rolls respectively, means for driving the rolls comprising a motor and a frictional. driving connection, such as to permit rotation of the motor when the rotation of the roll is suddenly arrested, and means operated responsive to deenergization of the motor for positively stopping the rotation of both rolls. Y i I V V 5. A display apparatus having in combination two rolls, a display sheet adapted to be wound upon and unwound from said rolls respectively, a motor for driving both bers of said clutches being geared respec- V roll from the motor, said clutches being adapted to automatically clutch the motor -to one roll of the other responsive to the direction of rotation of the motor, and means acting upon the rolls for suddenly and definitely stopping the movement of the sheet responsive to the deenergization o the motor.

6. A self contained display apparatus comprising a frame, a pair of rolls rotatably supported by said frame, display means adapted tobe wound upon and unwound from said rolls'respectively, a shaft for'each roll, a driven gear on each shaft and a 'yieldable connection for each shaft connecting said gear and shaft, the gears and yieldable connections for each roll being on the same side of the frame, a driving motor also supported from the same side of the frame and a shaft driven by said motor, two clutch members rotated by the motor, and two other clutch members adapted to be driven respectively by the first mentioned clutch members and geared respectively to the driving gears on the roll shafts, one or the other of the first two mentioned clutch members being adapted to be automatically clutched with its cor responding clutch member responsive to and dependingupon the direction of rotation of the motor, andelectromagnetically actuated arresting means with control means for same, for-automatical1y arresting the rotation of the pulling roll at the'end of each of a series of predetermined movements of the display means.

7 A self contained display apparatus comprising a frame, a pair of rolls rotatably supported by said frame, display means adapted to be wound upon and unwound from said rolls respectively, a shaft for each roll, a driven gear on each'shaft and a yieldable connection for each shaft connecting said gear and shaft, the gears and yieldable connections for each roll being on the same side of the frame, a driving motor also supported from the same side of the frame and a shaft driven by said'motor, two clutch members rotated'by the motor, and two other clutch members adapted to be driven respectively by the first mentioned clutch members and geared respectively by the first mentioned clutch members and geared respectively to thedriving gears on the roll shafts, one or the other of the first two mentioned clutch members being adapted to be automatically clutched with its corresponding clutch member responsive to and depending upon the directionof the rotation of the-motor, brake apparatus comprising an electromagnet car- 'ried at the opposite end of the frame from the motor, means-rotated'with the rolls, and cooperating brake members actuated the magnetto engage said rotated members to positively arrest the rotation of the rolls, and manually operated switches for starting and reversing the motor and for'controlling the brake magnet.

8. A display apparatus having in combination movable display means, an electric motor and its circuit for operating the same, contacts and a hand-actuated device for closing same to energize the motor at the will of the operator, and a second set of contacts and means operated responsive to the movement of the display means for actuating said last contacts to cause a continued energizatlon ofthe motor after said hand-actuated contacts and a hand-actuated device for closing same to energize the motor at the will of the operator, asecond set of contacts, and a contact-operating member operated responsive to the movement of the display means for actuating said last contacts to cause a continued energiz'ation of the motor after saidhandactuated device has been released, and means for automatically returning said last contact-operating member to normal position to deenergize the motor when the display member has moveda predetermined distance.

10. A display apparatus having in combination movable display means comprising a movable sheet and two rolls upon which it is wound back and forth, an electric motor and its circuit for operating same, contacts for closing the motor circuit to energize the motor, a second set of contacts for controllingthe motor, and means controlling said contacts operated responsive to the movements of the sheet for actuating said last contacts to cause continued energization of the motor, said last contact-operating means comprlsing a finger plvoted near the sheet and operatively' engaged by the same to be moved to close said last mentioned contacts, and havingcoopcrating holes in the sheet which when they register with the finger permit the finger to return to its normal position toopen the contacts, and means for returning said finger to normal position when 1t reglsters wlth said holes.

11. A display apparatus having 1n combination movable display'means comprising a movable sheet and two rolls upon which it is wound back and forth, an electric motor and its circuit for operating same, contacts and a'hand-actnated device for closing same to energize the motor at the will of the operator, a second set of contacts, and means controlling said contacts operated responv the rotation of the rolls, a manually consive to the movements of the sheet for actuating said last contacts to cause continued energization of the motor after said hand-actuated device has been released, said last contact-operating means comprising a finger pivoted near the sheet and operatively engaged by the same to be moved to close said last mentioned contacts, and having cooperating holes in the sheet which when they register with the finger permit the finger to return to its normal position to open the contacts, means for returning said finger to normal position when it registers wlth sa1d holes, and a guard plate on the opposite side of the sheet from the finger and cooperating therewith to hold the sheet 4 in proper alinement against the finger.

pending upon the direction of rotation of the motor, means for suddenly and definitely stopping the rotation of the rolls when the power is cut off from the motor, said means comprising two members connected respec tively with the roll shafts, and electromag netically controlled cooperating means for engaging said first two members to arrest trolled switch for starting the motor and effecting the release of sa1d arresting means, and contacts controlled responsive to a predetermined movement of the display means for deenergizing the motor and for causing the electromagnetically controlled arresting means to arrest the rotation of the rolls.

13; A display apparatus having in combination two rolls, display means adapted to be wound upon and unwound from said rolls respectively, means for driving said rolls comprising a motor geared to one of said rolls, said gearing including a yieldable drlvmg connection between sa1d roll and the motor to protect the motor from sudden stoppage of the roll, means for suddenly and definitely stopping the rotation of the roll when the motor isv deenergizecLfsaid means comprising a member connected with said roll shaft and electromagnetically controlled cooperating means for engaging said first member toarrest the rotation of said roll, a

switch for starting the motor and effecting the release of said arresting means, and con tacts controlled responslve to a predetermined movement of the d1splay means for electric motor and its circuit "for operating the same electroma neticalb controlled means operatively related to the driven roll.

for suddenly and definitely stopping the same when the motor is deenergized, contacts and a manually-actuated device for closing the same to energize the motor and release the stopping means at thewill of 1 the operator, and a second set of contacts controlled responsive to movement of the display means to cause a continued energization of the motor and continued release of the electromagnetically controlled stopping motor when the rotation of the driven roll is suddenly arrested, eleotromagnetically controlled means for positively stopping the rotation oi the driven roll, said means comprising a toothed member connected with the roll, a locking finger operatively related thereto and an electromagnet for controlling the same, the teeth on said toothed member being sufficient in number so that the movement of the display means will be arrested immediately thatthe looking finger is thrown, to prevent overrunning, and contacts controlling said motor and electromagnet and controlled responsive to a predetermined movement of the display means to out off the motive power and cause the locking finger to arrest the rotation of said driven roll. I

16. A display apparatus having in combination movable display means, an electric motor and its circuit for operating the same, contacts adapted to bemomentarily'closed to energize the motor circuit, a second set of contacts, and means operated responsive to the movement of the display means for actuating said last contacts to cause a con tinned energization ofthe motor after said first contacts have been opened, said second set of contacts also being adapted to be actuated responsive to a predetermined movement of the display means for deenergizing the motor circuit.

17. A display apparatus having in comrolls respectively, means for driving the disa play means comprising a motor and a yieldable drivingconnection between said motor.

termined movement of the display means for deenergizing the motor and for causing the electromagnetically controlled arresting means to arrest the movement of the display means. V V

In testimony whereof, We have signed our names to this specification.

CHARLES c. JAMES. GEORGE 0. JAMES. 

